


Birthright

by Stratagem



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Angsty-ness, Dark Dragon and the Happy Hungry Bunch to the rescue, F/M, Gen, Green Dragon Village, Romance?? Probably, baby green dragon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 15:02:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10766670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stratagem/pseuds/Stratagem
Summary: A baby with jade-colored hair and a dragon-scaled right leg is born to a young woman from the Green Dragon Village. On the other side of the country, Jae-Ha immediately realizes that there is a new green dragon. Knowing his village's tradition of chaining the green dragon and worried that his escape will cause the villagers to take even more drastic measures this time, Jae-Ha sets out with his friends to go rescue the baby.At the same time, the young mother Seoyun refuses to believe that her precious newborn is a monster that needs to be locked away. She flees her husband and the village with her son, determined to keep her baby safe and free and raise him herself.With two green dragons on the loose, the Clan of the Green Dragon takes a new step. If they can't control and contain their monsters, they'll just find someone to eliminate the issue...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Akatsuki no Yona!
> 
> A/N: Ahh, this idea wouldn't leave me alone, so here, have so angst and possible romance and feels. Basically it takes on the idea of what would happen if a new dragon was born. I also wanted to play around with the idea of a dragon-mother who refused to think of her kid as a monster. Takes place after the current manga arc (Chapter 139 currently)...

"Hey, don't rest now. You're almost finished."

Seoyun didn't believe the midwife. Sweat soaked her hair, and her entire body was wracked with pain and exhaustion. Another sharp pain rippled across her abdomen, causing her back to arch and her fingers to dig into the sheets. She had gone into labor early that morning, and now the sun was beginning to set, coloring the sky with bright pinks and dark purples. Night would fall soon. "Is it supposed to take this long?"

"It's different for everyone," Jong said, "Which is the exact same answer I gave you the last time you asked."

"Great. And just like last time, I'm very reassured."

"It won't be much longer," said the midwife's apprentice as she patted Seoyun's forehead with a cool cloth.

"She's right." Jong moved her hands to Seoyun's taut stomach, pressing gently against the apparently reluctant baby. "Just keep breathing, and stop complaining."

Seoyun shot Jong a glare and then groaned as another contraction ripped at her abdomen. At this point, she just wanted the pain to stop. All of the teas and herbs Jong had given her had stopped taking the edge off of the agony ages ago. Now Seoyun was left with the stabbing agony caused by the contractions.

"You're going to have to push harder if you want it to stop," Jong said, sounding as if she could read Seoyun's mind.

"The first baby is always the hardest," said the apprentice, "Next time it won't be nearly as difficult or last as long."

Next time? Seoyun wanted to punch the girl right in the mouth for even suggesting that there was going to be a next time.

"Stop letting your mind wander and push!"

Bearing down, Seoyun gritted her teeth. She wasn't going to scream. Women in her bloodline didn't scream during labor, it was tradition. The story was that the quieter you were during the birth, the stronger the child would be. Seoyun didn't believe that old wives' tale, but she didn't want to jinx her kid, just in case.

Right now, her husband Chan-U was outside of the tent, waiting for their child to be born along with the clan's elders. Chan-U was a kind, though boring, man, but their marriage was an arranged one and there wasn't much connection between them. Seoyun tried not to think about them, but she could feel the tension pushing in from the outside.

Every time one of the clan's women had a child, the atmosphere was the same: rampant anxiety until the child was born, followed by relief. Inside the tent, the three women didn't talk about what the elders were waiting for. What would be the point? Either the child would be normal, or…

Jong slapped one of her legs, bringing her back to the present. "It's almost here, give one more push. Put everything behind it!"

Seoyun glared at the midwife, but she mentally gathered herself and focused on her child. No matter what, her baby was hers before anyone else's, even Chan-U. Although her mother had warned her not to become attached until after it was born, just in case, Seoyun refused to stop herself. She let her affection for the little life within her strengthen her, and she bore down, closing her eyes until she heard a stuttering cry that grew into a little shrieking wail.

Her bright green eyes flew open, and she saw her son for the first time as Jong held him up. He was wet and sticky and perfect…and his tiny right leg shimmered with emerald dragon scales.

"Oh gods," the apprentice said, dropping the cloth on the bed and stepping back from the bedside. Her face was contorted with horror. She shook her head like she was trying to get rid of the image of the baby and raced out of the tent.

"I'm so sorry, Seoyun," Jong said, her eyes sympathetic as she cut the baby's cord, "Just remember, it's not your fault. This sort of thing happens." She slowly grabbed a cloth and started wiping the baby, who continued to scream as if defiance of the world that didn't want him.

But Seoyun didn't feel that way.

Oh, she knew she shouldn't want him either, that the normal reaction would be to burst into tears because she had birthed a monster. She had known that this could happen and she knew how the village expected her to react, but the revulsion that was supposed to well up within her never came.

Instead, a memory emerged, one of a boy with long green hair leaping into the sky, looking incredibly free and wild and untamable. Whenever she thought of the green dragon, that was always the image that came to mind. It had been so long ago, and she had been very young when it happened, but she would never forget that day.

"Please, let me see him," Seoyun said quietly, holding out her hands, reaching for him.

Jong frowned at her. "I don't think that's a good idea." She probably expected Seoyun to try and do something to the baby, like other green dragon mothers had tried before.

"He's my son." Seoyun looked at her, green eyes flashing. "Give him to me right now."

Jong hesitated, but something must have convinced her because she handed over the baby, setting him on Seoyun's chest. "I'll go tell Chan-U and the elders…"

Gently, the new mother rested her hand on her boy's back. He shuttered under her touch before relaxing, his cries tapering off into little grunts. Her fingers trailed up his back and brushed across his sticky, thick green hair and his soft, full cheek before tracing his perfect tiny lips. She marveled at him, at this little person she had created.

As the baby slowly fell asleep on her chest, Chan-U stepped into the tent. His eyes were dark, and his face was shadowed with disappointment and disgust as he looked at her and their son. "That's it?" he asked, his eyes flicking toward the baby. "Show me the leg."

Seoyun frowned and held her son closer. "Chan-U…"

In an instant, he was by the bed mat and snatching at the newborn. Seoyun cried out and reached for the baby, but Chan-U turned away from her and ripped the blanket away from him. There was a moment of complete silence.

"How could you do this to me."

"What?" Seoyun stared at him as he looked back at her, rage coloring his face. He knew, they all knew, no one could control who gave birth to a baby with the green dragon powers. And their son, he was innocent. He was just a baby…

"You're a disgrace," he snarled and shoved the baby back into her arms. He had never been cruel to her before, but now she feared him. It seemed as if he was seconds away from striking her. The baby was crying again, and she stroked his back as Chan-U stood up. He gave her one last scowl before storming out of the tent.

A fire burst into existence within her, and she knew what she had to do. She couldn't stay. If she stayed, they would take her son and stick him in chains or in a prison or a pit. Somewhere he would never see the daylight. She forced herself to her feet, the scattered pieces of a plan coming together as she stumbled toward the back of the tent. She had to leave.

Now.

* * *

Miles away, Jae-Ha froze in the middle of a forest path, his hand reaching for his chest. This…this feeling. It felt like a piece of him was being ripped away, like a small part of his power had left him.

Oh.

Was it time already? A pained smirk drifted across his lips. He knew this day was coming. Honestly, he had expected it sooner. What had taken them so long? Could producing a new green dragon be so hard?

"Jae-Ha?" Yoon's voice said from what seemed like a far distance, even though he was standing right in front of him.

"What's gotten into you, Droopy Eyes?"

"Are you okay?" Yona sounded concerned.

The world tilted as Jae-Ha's right leg suddenly gave out, but a hand caught him before he could hit the ground. There were tears wavering in Kija's eyes before he hugged Jae-Ha to him. "Jae-Ha…"

Ah, so he knew. It made sense that the other dragons knew. They would be able to feel the new dragon's presence, after all. Zeno's hand rested on his head, and he felt Shin-Ah hug him on his other side as everything faded.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad people are interested in this story! ^_^ Sorry for the long update wait, I got pulled into the Voltron fandom.

Sitting on top of his bedroll, Jae-Ha looked around the tent at the people who had become his makeshift family. The brothers he had never wanted, the boy who acted like a mother, a best friend and partner in battle, the fierce girl who he would protect with every fiber of his being. They were all staring at him, and while he normally basked in attention, he wished they would stop looking at him like that, especially the other dragons.

He wasn't feeling weak anymore, but there was still an odd sensation lingering around him, like something was missing. He would get used to it, he guessed. Maybe that feeling would never fully go away ever again. Had Garou felt like this?

When he had woken up a little while ago, he had been in the tent, surrounded by the other dragons. They all looked like someone was dying, which, hey, if there was a new green dragon… Mmm. It wasn't like he didn't know it would probably happen soon, they had even talked about it only a month or so ago. But talking about it and actually being prepared were two different things, weren't they?

"So…there's a baby version of the green dragon out there now?" Hak asked. His expression was dark and serious, and Jae-Ha wondered if he guessed what that would mean. The dragons hadn't explained to the others about the power transfer that occurred when a new dragon came into the world. Honestly, Jae-Ha didn't think he could talk about it right now. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his fear was now a reality.

"Yes, though he probably isn't nearly as handsome," Jae-Ha said, rubbing his chin. Beside him, Kija's jaw trembled, and Jae-Ha reached out to pat his knee. Stop crying, Hakuryuu. Little brothers could be so…aggravating and emotional.

"Are you sure?" Yoon asked, making a face, "How can you know? Your village is really far away!"

"I'm sure," Jae-Ha said, giving the boy a half-smile, "I can't explain it, but I feel it. There's definitely a new Ryokuryuu in my village."

Speaking of which, he knew what his village would do to that child, and it might be worse since he wasn't there. The new dragon was just a baby, but Ryokuryuu Village considered dragons to be dangerous from birth. That baby would be alone, with no one to take care of it. They would have to do something about that. Jae-Ha couldn't let some innocent infant be stuck in a cage.

"What about you guys?" Yoon said, leaning back and looking at the other dragons, "Can you sense Baby Green too?"

Shin-Ah and Kija both nodded solemnly, and Zeno scooted a little closer to Jae-Ha, bumping against his arm as if to bolster him.

Yoon's eyes narrowed, and he and Hak exchanged a glance. They knew something was off, Jae-Ha could tell. They were both probably wondering why, exactly, Jae-Ha would faint and suddenly wake up insisting a new dragon had been born.

If they wanted to keep it from Yona a little longer, they were all going to have to act a little more cheerful and less like they were attending a funeral. Right now, the princess was watching them all, a tiny frown on her face.

Jae-Ha yawned and stretched, pumping out his arms and displacing Zeno. "I'm fine now. I just needed some beauty sleep, not that a nap could really improve on this." He pulled his fingers through his ponytail and flashed a smile that was only somewhat forced.

"Keep telling yourself that, Droopy Eyes," Hak said. He met Jae-Ha's gaze and held it. They would have to talk later, Jae-Ha knew, so he simply nodded in reply to Hak's silent question.

"I do have a request, though," Jae-Ha said. He sat up straighter, looking directly at Yona now. "I need to go to my village and get the new green dragon. My village won't…" They wouldn't treat the child like it was human. He couldn't allow someone so small and defenseless and possessing the same need for freedom that he did to be put in chains and locked indoors. "I can go alone and be back—"

"You're not going alone, Jae-Ha," Yona said, shaking her head.

"We're all going to go with you to retrieve the new…the baby," Kija said, his right hand clenched into a fist. "We'll help you raise him and train him and whatever we need to do to help you."

Raise him? Oh shit. Jae-Ha hadn't really thought about what to do with the boy after taking him from the village. Could he raise a kid? He had been raised by two people: an emotionally and mentally devastated previous green dragon and a grumpy lady pirate queen. He didn't know how to be a parent. Maybe Gi-Gan could help? "We'll just let Yoon raise him, since he's already a mother and everything."

"I'm not a mother! I can't raise a beast baby, anyways, so there's that."

"We'll figure it out," Yona said. She was watching Jae-Ha with concerned eyes, and he had to look away. He didn't want her to know, not yet. It would take years, anyways, wouldn't it? Dragons lived short lives, anyways, and he had lived longer than most. "We'll get a good night's rest and then set out for the Green Dragon Village."

She made it sound easy, didn't she?

"That's all well and good," Zeno said quietly, and his bright blue gaze landed on the other dragons, "But has anyone else noticed that little Ryokuryuu is on the move? A very slow move?"

What? Jae-Ha closed his eyes and focused, searching for the thread that connected him and his heir. There… Yes. The new green dragon was definitely moving. What did that mean? Was the green dragon village traveling?

* * *

Everything hurt, and Seoyun just wanted to sleep but the warm bundle resting against her chest drove her forward. After sneaking out of the tent, she had stolen a pair of boots, a cloth to act as a sling for the baby, and whatever food she could find before disappearing into the forest. There wasn't much time, and they would come after her.

Her body ached, needing rest after labor, but she would sleep later when she found somewhere safe. The makeshift tent village of the green dragon was behind her, and freedom for herself and her boy was before her.

The dark forest reached out and snagged at her clothes, branches catching at her face when she didn't duck soon enough. Her boots felt heavy as she forced herself up a hill, holding her baby close with one hand. Brambles latched onto her dress, and she had to stop and tug herself free before she could go any farther. Frustrated tears burned in her eyes. There wasn't any time to cry. Maybe she would cry later.

A road. She needed to make it to a road and find a wagon. She could pass as a traveler and the wagon would allow her to move faster while giving her a chance to rest.

Trudging up the hillside, she was grateful that the baby was asleep in his sling. He would need to eat soon, so it was only a matter of time before he woke up and wailed, telling anyone chasing them where they were. Seoyun gritted her teeth and struggled on, ignoring the pain and exhaustion.

Cresting the hill, she saw the road winding through the forest, wagon ruts deep in path. Finally. Sighing, she hurried down the road, going south. In the distance, she saw a wagon, and she sped up. They were going to make it.


	3. Chapter 3

Two days of hiking had gone by before Hak managed to catch Jae-Ha and force him to explain what was really going on. Hak accomplished this by stalking Jae-Ha when he was alone, tackling him, and then sitting on him until the green dragon gave in.

Knowing how stubborn the Thunder Beast could be, Jae-Ha didn't bother trying to actually fight him off. He had been planning on telling him soon, anyways. He just needed to be sure that he wouldn't tell Yona or Yoon just yet since he didn't want either of them fussing over him or worrying about him. Or they might cry, and he absolutely didn't want that right now. He got enough of that from Kija, who kept looking at him with teary eyes.

When Jae-Ha finished explaining, a stormy expression crossed Hak's face. The Thunder Beast stood up from where the two of them had been sitting on the forest floor and paced around the clearing. For a moment, he stopped and stared at Jae-Ha then he spun and landed the blade of his glaive in a tree. His shoulders were tense with anger, and he didn't turn back toward Jae-Ha. "How long?"

"You'll have to put up with me for at least a few more years," Jae-Ha said, trying to sound like it wasn't a big deal. Like he wasn't afraid. "Maybe more. Zeno says that green dragons often live longer than the others after their successors are born. We're stubborn like that."

"Don't joke about it."

"I'd rather tease than the alternative, if you don't mind."

For a few minutes, both of them were silent. Jae-ha fiddled with the ribbon on one of his knives and then got to his feet. The weird sensation was still there, but it was easier to ignore it now. He had a feeling that eventually he would even be able to forget about it sometimes.

Walking over to Hak, he set his hand down on the younger man's shoulder, trying to let him know that it would be all right, sort of. It was easy to think of Hak as being his own age, but the Thunder Beast was only eighteen. It was a lot to take in.

"You can't tell Yona or Yoon," Jae-Ha said, "None of us want them to know yet."

Hak turned around, his eyes wide. "But they need to know. Yona…"

"Might be a little upset by the news," Jae-Ha said, "And I don't want her to resent the new green dragon. He's just a baby."

"I might resent him," Hak snapped. He shrugged off Jae-Ha's hand and viciously tugged his glaive out of the tree trunk. "There's already an annoying green dragon, I don't see why there had to be another one born just yet."

Jae-Ha smirked a little. "It's just the way things are." He appreciated that Hak didn't try to console him or coddle him or anything. Life was hard enough with Kija and Shin-Ah's worry pressing against him, as well as Zeno's deeper sorrow. Jae-Ha wanted everything to go on as it normally did.

Hak rolled his eyes and shouldered his glaive. "We should get back to the others."

"We shouldn't go back empty-handed," Jae-Ha cautioned, "I was hunting before you attacked me, and Yoon's going to expect some kind of game to cook."

"Aren't there dried venison strips?"

"We had those for the last three days," Jae-Ha said, "Everyone would appreciate a warm meal."

Hak made a face and then glanced around the forest, probably looking for animal tracks. "There's a rabbit warren around here somewhere."

Together, they managed to track down and kill a brace of hares before going back to camp. The others were gathered around the campfire, doing various chores or in Shin-Ah and Yona's case, sharpening weapons.

Zeno glanced up at Jae-Ha. "Baby Ryoku is on the move again."

Huh, Jae-Ha hadn't even noticed. Closing his eyes for a moment, he focused on the warm, now-familiar presence of the younger green dragon, noticing that he was indeed traveling again. He actually wasn't very far away now, perhaps one more day's hike to the northeast. "That kid needs to stay still."

He didn't understand why the baby green dragon moved so often, but he was steadily coming westward, toward Jae-Ha and the rest of the dragons. Was the whole village moving? Maybe they had decided that being nomadic was safer than staying in one place. Still, he would have guessed that they would stay stationary for more than a few hours at a time. The presence of the new green dragon kept moving forward, only stopping for four or five hours every so often before taking off again. Green dragons were supposed to be restless but this one was just a baby. "I don't get it, why is he moving so much."

"Maybe the village knows where you are and they're bringing him to you so he'll be your problem," Yoon suggested.

Jae-Ha gave a smile that was almost a grimace. "If my village knew where I was, we wouldn't be having this pleasant conversation."

"They really don't like you, do they," Kija said, still incredulous after all this time. He was frowning fiercely, his right hand clenched. It was so difficult for him to imagine a village hating its dragon, even though he had seen how Shin-Ah's village treated him. While it had been annoying at first, Jae-Ha found Kija's innocence sort of adorable nowadays. "How do they not understand…"

"When do we get to meet him?" Yona asked, looking at Jae-Ha with excited eyes. She must have felt that something was a little off, but since she didn't know the truth, she was still enthusiastic.

"Soon," Jae-Ha said, feeling guilty, "Maybe tomorrow."

"I bet he's super cute," Yona said, "But how are we supposed to take care of a baby?"

"Yoon will take care of it," Jae-Ha said, leaning back on his hands, "He's the most qualified."

"The rest of you would break a baby," Yoon said, "I don't trust any of you."

* * *

 

If anyone caught her, Seoyun would be hanged as a horse thief.

The thought was forefront in her mind as she rode slowly through the woods, her son resting in the sling against her chest. She had seen the bay horse saddled and tied to a post outside of a small farm house while she had been trekking through the countryside. Weakness and need had driven her to steal it.

She planned to release the beast after a few more leagues so it could find its way home, but it felt so good to be riding instead of walking. Her aching, bleeding feet were grateful for the reprieve. Swaying in the saddle, she wondered where, exactly, she was planning on going. What was her end goal for this journey?

Somewhere safe for her baby. It didn't matter where, as long as no one would try to cage him or punish him for being a green dragon, which he couldn't help. He was innocent. The distant Earth Tribe region seemed like a good place to hide, though they would be safest in Xing or Sei or Kai or perhaps even farther away. But how far could a dragon go from Kouka? Weren't they somehow tied to the land?

The true rules surrounding the green dragon were unknown to her even though she came from the Green Dragon Village. The elders knew the most about green dragons, and she wanted to put as much distance between them and her child as possible.

Or, well, there was another option. It flashed through her mind, making her lift her tired, heavy head as she pulled her thoughts together. The current green dragon was supposedly still leaping about the countryside. If she could find him, he might know what to do and give her some advice. But trying to find him might take years.

It would be better to hide somewhere obscure in the Earth Tribe, dye her child's hair black, and try to live a normal life for as long as possible. Or perhaps the Wind Tribe would be more accepting? She had heard that they were a warm, friendly bunch, though trusting them with a dragon child was another matter.

Her head pounded, and she took a deep breath, feeling like she was moving through a thick, hot fog. She was sick with a fever, but she would press on. This wouldn't kill her. However, she did need to rest again.

Ahead, it looked like there was a shallow cave opening. It would be somewhere dry and sheltered to hide, as long as there weren't any animals living there. She would have to take that chance. Guiding the horse to the cave entrance, she dismounted carefully, leaning heavily against the beast when her feet hit the ground. Exhaustion darkened her vision for a moment, but she paused, gathering herself.

After pulling down her bag from his saddle, she gave the gelding a light slap on the rump, sending it back in the direction they came from. Food. Tend to the baby. Sleep. She thanked the gods that her child was quiet instead of fussy, seeing it as a sign that she was doing the right thing. Maybe the Green Dragon god himself was looking after them, keeping an eye on his newest avatar.

Stumbling inside, Seoyun dropped against the back of the cave, cradling her son. He needed a name, but she couldn't think of a good one right now. Her mind was too busy figuring out how to survive. Her right hand ached, and again she regretted her hasty, stupid, reckless decision to carve up her marriage mark.

In the Green Dragon Village, people who married received a mark on their right hand, designed by their husband or wife. On the second day after leaving the village, a fit of anger had caused Seoyun to take a knife to her mark, putting four long slashes through it. It was the mark of a divorce. Chan-U had lost the very little love she had for him when he refused her son, acting like he was an abomination. Still, she should have waited…

Frustrated tears sprang to her eyes, but she glared into the darkness, willing them away. She couldn't cry now. She didn't have enough water in her waterskin to afford the tears. Instead, she focused on feeding her baby and deciding on her next move.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People FINALLY get to meet up!

Seoyun was startled awake, her eyes flying open. Fever-clouded and confused by exhaustion, she couldn't remember where she was at first. Instead of being in a warm tent on her sleeping mat, she was on a sandy floor, wrapped in a cloak. Then everything snapped back into place.

Outside, the sun was shining, and she wondered how long she had been asleep. It must have been hours, though she had fallen asleep near dawn. She had hurt too much to walk anymore last night, and the cave had provided the best shelter she had found since leaving her roaming village.

She checked on the small bundle beside her, fingers brushing against her son's cheek. He was awake and making little whimpering noises, probably needed to be changed. Before falling asleep last night, she had been thinking about names, trying to find one that fit. The only name she liked wasn't even one from Kouka. It was a name she had learned while the village had been traveling around near the border between Kouka and Xing, and once she remembered, it seemed like the only true name that would fit him.

Sho. It meant 'soar' in the language of Xing, and it reminded her of the way the green-haired boy had flown over their village and escaped so long ago. Jae-Ha, wasn't it? They had called him Ryokuryuu usually, but she had heard his real name often enough to pull it out of her memory. He had looked like a bird, graceful and free, and that's what she wanted for her baby. Freedom.

A cracking sound made her sit up, ignoring how her entire body protested the movement. It felt like every part of her being was sore, physically, mentally, emotionally. But she knew that if she gave in now, she was afraid she wouldn't come back from the promise of rest and that would leave her baby alone in a world that didn't want him. Whatever made that noise needed to be dealt with.

Maybe it was just a deer? Oh, wouldn't that be nice… If only she could be so lucky. Unfortunately, good luck didn't seem to be her lot in life anymore. A tired, exasperated smile scrawled across her face as she took off her cloak and laid Sho down, hiding him underneath a stable shelf of rock. He whined again, and she willed him to be patient with her for a while longer.

Reaching into her sleeve, she drew the knife she had taken when fleeing the village and walked toward the front of the cave. She wasn't helpless, her father had taught her to defend herself, but she had never actually fought anyone or anything before. Please, please, be a deer. Not a mountain lion or wolf.

No, it was worse. Five men, three on horseback and two walking, were stalking through the trees outside of the cave, and Lien recognized them. They were from the Green Dragon Village, which mean they had tracked her down. Chan-U was among them, his short light brown hair, tall frame, and big arms easily recognizable to her. It was only a few days ago that she had thought that actually falling in love with him might be a possibility, if she would give him more of a chance. Now hate filled her, and she wanted to toss the knife at him.

Fear clawed through her chest but sheer stubbornness beat it back. She hadn't come this far just to be hunted down and dragged back to her village…though they didn't necessarily need her. They just wanted Sho. They might kill her or leave her to die while they carried Shou back to the village to live a life of imprisonment. That wasn't going to happen.

Run, she needed to run. She was going to have to push her battered body to its breaking point it she wanted to get of here. Sheathing her blade for the moment, she hurried over, grabbed her pack, then gently wrestled Sho into his sling. He was fussing now, on the verge of true crying, and she knew there wasn't much time.

Taking out her blade again, she stayed in the shadows of the cave's mouth, watching the men. They hadn't noticed the cave yet, but they soon would. Her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest or beat itself out, it was racing so fast. They would catch her if she ran but they would corner her if she stayed here. She would just have to take her chances.

Seoyun slid out of the cave, edging along, trying to stay inconspicuous. Maybe if she didn't draw attention, if she could get out of their sight before they actually noticed her, she could get away. One hand on Shou, the other clutching her knife, she crept away, attention divided between where she was going and where she had come from.

"Seoyun! Stop!"

Chan-U's voice echoed through the forest, and Seoyun took off, Sho sending up a wail as she moved too fast for his liking. No, not like this. Panic threatened to overtake her, but she rebelled, keeping her eyes on the path even as she heard the men tearing after her. The horses thundered between the trees and one broke through underbrush and cut off her path, forcing her into the forest.

Brambles snagged at her arms and clothes, and her body protested the further abuse. She was _so_ tired. Her foot caught on a root, and she went down, only managing to protect Sho from the fall by twisting. The knife flew out of her hand. A shriek broke out of her as her ankle turned cruelly, and Sho's cries changed into wails. She tried to get up, but her foot wouldn't cooperate. It crumpled under her weight, and she grabbed for a young tree so she could pull herself up, letting it take her weight.

The men on horseback trotted over and blocked her in, keeping her in place while Chan-U and his best friend Do-yun walked toward her. Seoyun had known Do-yun since they were children, and his wife was one of her best friends. She had spent hours at their house, laughing, talking, sharing tea. Everyone was betraying her.

"Don't come any closer," she said, her voice a growl, "Leave us alone!"

"You're mine to do with as I please, which you seem to have forgotten," Chan-U said, his face dark with anger, "You're my wife, you insane woman."

"Not anymore," Seoyun said, and his eyes jumped to her bandaged right hand.

"Then I'm not responsible for what happens to you anymore." He glared at her. "Give me the dragon."

"No."

He drew a short sword from his side and Do-yun did the same. "He belongs to the village."

"He belongs with me," she snarled, stepping away and almost backing into one of the horses. She wasn't prepared when the rider reached down and grabbed her arm, holding it in a vice-grip. Seoyun tried to strike him, but she had to be careful with Sho. "Please, let go, don't do this!"

"We have to protect the village," Do-yun said, sounding somewhat sympathetic, "You have to calm down, Seoyun, you're acting crazy. You can have other children, ones that aren't monsters. Just calm yourself and come back with us."

That wasn't the right thing to say to her right now. Her eyes widened, and with her wild hair and dirt-smudged face, she probably looked like a demon right now. "He's not a monster, he's a baby! And if you touch him, I'll—I'll bite you!" It was a weak threat but one she was completely ready to follow through on. With the knife too far to reach and one hand captured, it was one of the few options left to her.

Chan-U snorted. He stepped toward her and looked down at her. "I could've loved you," he said, his tone sounding almost sad, "Why did you have to do this?"

"He's my son," she said, not understanding why he didn't feel the same way. Her fury ebbed and gave way to the terror she had been holding at bay, like a wave finally crashing on a shore. It took her breath away and she found herself pleading with him. "Chan-U, let us go, we'll disappear and you'll never hear from us again. I'll take him somewhere far away, so far away from the village, and no one will ever know what he is. I'll hide him." Anything to keep him safe and free.

"You can't promise that," Chan-U said, "Obviously your judgment is impaired. That's normal, you just gave birth and everything. We can say this is female hysterics—"

He cut off abruptly when Seoyun spat in his face. "I'm the only one thinking clearly here."

"Bitch." Roughly he jerked the sling with the screaming baby in it off her, and when she reached toward Sho, Chan-U struck her across the face. The world spun, and she hit the ground hard. Stars popped into her eyes, and she knew it would be easier to just lie there, to accept defeat. She wanted to, but Sho's screams cut her. Instead of staying down, she got onto her knees and lunged forward, grabbing at Chan-U, snatching the back of his robe.

"Let him go!"

Chan-U turned and pulled his foot back, rage on his face. Seoyun braced herself for a kick that never came. When she looked up, there was a man standing over her, his right leg halting Chan-U's kick. "That's no way to treat a lady." He had a dangerous smile on his face as he plucked Sho out of Chan-U's arms.

"I'll be taking this," he said, cradling the wailing baby in the crook of his arm. A moment later, he kicked out and sent Chan-U flying before going into a defensive stance in front of Seoyun.

"Ryokuryuu…" one of the other men stammered.

Seoyun pushed herself up, forcing herself to her feet as she looked at the man holding her child. Green hair, violet eyes. Like Sho's. "Jae-Ha?" There wasn't anyone else it could be. She took a step toward him, reaching for the baby, but she stumbled again when her ankle gave out.

Jae-Ha wrapped his other arm around her quickly, supporting her against his side. She was vaguely aware of him staring at her as she reached over and touched Sho's arm, wanting to comfort him. Instantly, he settled down a little, his screams subsiding into loud sobs.

"Hey, take it easy, you're bleeding," Jae-Ha said, "Who are you? Where are you hurt?" He looked over his shoulder and yelled. "Yoon! I need you!"

Darkness was creeping into her vision, and she leaned heavily against Jae-Ha. She could hear other people coming, some of them yelling Jae-Ha's name before they clashed with the group from the Green Dragon Village. "I'm…Seoyun," she said, struggling to stay conscious. She met Jae-Ha's eyes and saw concern and empathy there. If anyone knew how cruel their village could be, it was him. She could trust him, maybe. "His name is Sho. My son." Not a monster, not a dragon, just a boy with a gift.

"That's a beautiful name," Jae-Ha said, "I like it."

"Don't let them take him. Please..."

"I'll take care of him. I won't let them hurt either of you, I promise."

That and Sho's sobs were the last thing she heard before unconsciousness came for her, dragging her into the darkness she had been pushing away for so long.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, so I was rereading the manga, and technically Yoon's already supposed to know about the dragon curse. We'll just say this is a slight AU where he didn't overhear that conversation. ^_~

_Don't die, please don't die…_

Jae-Ha willed Seoyun to stay alive. He couldn't tell if she was breathing or not, and god, she was so pale. If he understood what was going on, she had been trying to protect the new Ryokuryuu and the very idea that the new baby's mother actually wanted him stunned Jae-Ha.

In his other arm, her baby was crying, his eyes closed tight and fists waving in his infant-sized fury. Now that he was face to face with his successor, Jae-Ha didn't know how to feel. Affectionate? Despairing? Annoyed? Resigned? He just knew he didn't want anything to happen to the screaming child he was holding.

"So cute!" Zeno said, appearing next to Jae-Ha, his bright blue eyes on the baby. He scooped up the infant and held him close before looking over at the young woman with sad eyes. "She's had a hard journey…"

It definitely looked like that. With his other arm now free, Jae-Ha was able to pick her up, holding her in case the villagers got any bright ideas about attacking them. Zeno could take off with the baby while Jae-Ha jumped with Seoyun. He looked her over, frowning. She was breathing but only shallowly. So many bruises and small cuts. Her right hand was wrapped up in a dirty, blood-soaked bandage, and she gave off fever heat as he settled her against his chest, cradling her close. What had happened to her? Who could let this happen to someone who had just given birth a few days ago, let alone any young woman.

Hak and Kija rushed past them, blocking the villagers.

"Don't move unless you want me to crush you," Kija said, his dragon claws enlarged and raised in front of him, a stern warning.

"You don't have to be dramatic, White Snake," Hak said. He was giving that death stare of his to the gathered Green Dragon Village citizens. "They're already about to piss themselves."

"That's dramatic too, mister," Zeno said. In his arms, the baby was quieting down, the sobs subsiding into quieter sniffles. Zeno lightly rocked him and cooed down at his little round face. Jae-Ha noticed that the baby's thick fuzzy hair was almost the same shade of green as his own. How odd.

"Jae-Ha!" Yoon raced up to his left side. His eyes first latched onto the baby Zeno was holding. "Is that…"

"Yep, it's Baby Ryoku," Zeno said, cradling the whining infant closer.

"R-right," Yoon said before turning to Jae-Ha, "Oh, who's that? She's looks bad, what happened?" Instantly going into medic mode, he stepped closer to Jae-Ha and put his hand on Seoyun's forehead. "She's burning up."

"She's the baby's mother," Jae-Ha said, "I'm not sure, but I think she's been running since she had the baby."

"What?! Women are supposed to rest after that, it's painful and exhausting! How did she have the energy…" Yoon went wide-eyed and looked around. "You have to put her down, I need to start treating her. Why would she do that?"

Exactly. Why _would_ she do that? Everyone in their village knew that a mother who gave birth to a green dragon wasn't expected to raise it or even interact with it. They could hand it over and go on with their lives, acting as if they child wasn't theirs in any way. But if she had run away and taken the child with her…he had to talk to her. She had to _live_.

Carefully, he lowered her to the forest floor, balling his cloak up for her to use as a pillow. Trusting Kija and Hak to keep the villagers at bay, knelt by Seoyun as Yoon started to examine her. He didn't know how to feel about the men from his village either, except he didn't want them dead. He guessed. Did he?

Zeno sat down next to Yoon and smiled down at the baby. "The boy's here, so he'll take care of your mother, all right? Don't worry."

"Don't talk to the baby like he understands," grumbled Yoon.

By now, the men had gotten over their initial paralysis. "You…you're…" One of the men said, looking at Kija. "You're the White Dragon."

"Yes, and you're from that detestable Green Dragon Village that has no idea how to properly respect one who is born with the blood of a dragon," Kija said. "Correct?"

"The green dragon hasn't brought us anything besides trouble," said another man, this one on horseback, "They're a nuisance." Being out of Hak and Kija's reach must have given him courage because he lifted a bow and notched an arrow, pointing it at Jae-Ha. Instinctively, Jae-Ha stood up and threw out his arms, using his body the best he could to shield Seoyun, Yoon, Zeno and the baby. "You have to come back to the village with us, Ryokuryuu!"

Before the man could shoot, an arrow whistled through the forest and pierced his hand. He screamed and dropped the bow, holding his hand up to his face as if he couldn't believe there was an arrow sticking through it.

"Jae-Ha won't be going anywhere with you." Yona sounded terrifying. She and Shin-Ah stepped out of the woods, Shin-Ah with his sword drawn and Yona with her bow raised and ready. "Is everyone all right?

"Well, Yona dear, you shot him before he could do anything," Jae-Ha said, glancing over at the tiny fierce redhead. She gave the gathered villagers a scowl that made them shiver before walking over to stand next to Jae-Ha. Her expression went from ferocious to concerned in seconds as she looked at the sniffling baby and the unconscious woman. "Are they okay?"

"Zeno thinks that Baby Ryoku is just fine," said the yellow dragon.

"She needs medicine," Yoon said, "I need to be able to look her over, she seems injured."

"She is," Jae-Ha said darkly. Before he had been able to reach her, he had seen that man strike her across the face hard enough to put her on the ground. Quiet, cold fury spread under his skin. He couldn't stand to see women treated badly, especially by men. The man who had struck her was standing again, holding his ribcage. He didn't turn away from Jae-Ha's glower.

Yona's eyes burned as she turned back to the men. "Why were you chasing this woman and her baby?" she demanded, "What have they done wrong?"

"That's my wife," the man with the broken ribs said, taking a step toward them. Hak's glaive lifted just an inch and the man stopped. "You can't stop me from doing what I want with my wife and…that baby."

So that was the father of the new Ryokuryuu, a man who rejected his child and hit his wife. When you married, you were supposed to treasure your wife and protect your child and love them both. Not abuse them.

"You struck her," Jae-Ha said, his voice as cold as steel left in the snow, "And you tried to steal the baby. Did you chase her out of the village as well?"

Instantly, the atmosphere shifted as the mood of the dragons and Hak became dark and deadly.

"I am not going to be lectured by a runaway," the man snapped, somehow not sensing the drastic change, "I'm here to collect these two and return to our village. Seoyun was out of her mind and made a mistake, she never should have left."

"She must have run away because your village is cruel to the green dragons," Yona said, "It's wrong!"

"It's the only way we can protect ourselves," said one of the other villagers, "You don't understand."

"Give us the baby and the woman," the first man said, "We'll let you go, I suppose. You've already done your damage, Ryokuryuu."

Jae-Ha drew three knives from hidden sheathes in his sleeve. "I think I could do a little more."

"You can't have them," Yona said, her bow trained on the man. "You can leave here and take this message back to your village. You will no longer chase after either of the green dragons or look for them at all. If you do, the wrath of all four dragons will be unleashed on your village. Got it?"

"Add me to that, too," Hak said.

The men looked at each other, and one started to talk. "You can't—"

"She is the Red Dragon, and she commands the four dragons," Kija broke in, "She will command your village if she wants to, and you are not going to say one more word in protest!"

"Hey, you Green Village people," Zeno said, not looking from consoling the baby, "If you don't leave now, Zeno doesn't think you'll be leaving at all. No one here likes you very much. You might want to go."

"Give us the woman, then," the man with broken ribs said, "You can't keep her. She's mine."

Jae-Ha was moving before he even registered what he intended to do. He was past Hak and Kija and in the man's face before the man realized he was moving; the slow shock in his eyes was a good indication that he was thrown off guard. Jae-Ha slammed a fist into his face, mirroring the way he had struck his wife. The man crumpled to the ground and Jae-Ha stepped on his back with his right foot, driving him into the dirt.

"She's not yours. I saw her hand, and I know what that means," Jae-Ha said, "The boy isn't yours either. As the current Ryokuryuu, I claim him as my responsibility." He pressed down harder until he heard the man whimper. "I suggest wholeheartedly that you forget they exist if you like being alive."

When Jae-Ha moved back, the man stayed on the ground. The other villagers had to scrape him off the forest floor and load him onto a horse before they could make their retreat, running away from Yona and her group of monsters.

As he watched them leave, Jae-Ha trembled. Those men represented people who had chained him down for twelve years, keeping him in a dark room with nowhere to go. They had trapped him and let Garou beat him, and even after all these years, they frightened him on some level. It was as if they somehow had the power to drag him back to that small padlocked hut on the edge of the village.

Thin arms circled him from behind and hugged him tight. "It's okay, Jae-Ha," Yona said, "It's okay."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad people are enjoying this story! Thank you for all the lovely reviews, they always make me want to write more as quick as possible.

It was quiet except for the crackling of the campfire at the mouth of the cave, its cheery flames casting shadows against the rock walls and the tree line. Jae-Ha leaned back against his pack and ran his thumb over the thin hand he was holding in his.

Seoyun was still unconscious and breathing shallowly, a fever blush on her pale cheeks. Yoon was trying to be optimistic, but Jae-Ha could tell the boy wasn't all that hopeful. She was sick and hurt and weak from blood loss. But someone who had taken her child and trekked across the country to keep him away from her husband wouldn't give up easily. Jae-Ha felt like he needed to make sure she was taken care of, especially after the way she had been treated. He knew how it felt to run from their village with people chasing you. No one else in their village cared about the green dragon the way she did. It made her unique.

Around the cave, Jae-Ha's makeshift family was spread out and catching some much needed sleep. The only other one awake besides himself was Shin-Ah. The blue dragon was currently sitting outside of the cave with Ao on first watch, making sure they weren't ambushed or attacked in the night. They had all been pushing themselves so hard to get to the new kid, knowing the Green Dragon's Village reputation when it came to caring for their dragon.

The tiny cause of all this commotion was asleep between Zeno and Yona, all wrapped up in a fresh blanket and well-fed thanks to the goat. Oh, right. The goat and its kid were making a little noise too, huffing in their sleep at their post right outside of the cave.

The milking goat had been Yoon's idea. When the baby wouldn't settle down and it didn't seem like Seoyun was going to wake up anytime soon, the young genius had sent Hak and Kija out to get the goat. They had been able to buy one off a man at a farm not too far away, and the goat had been quite taken with Kija, following the silver-haired dragon around the camp until Hak tied it to a post.

On Seoyun's other side, Yoon was napping, slightly curled up around some of his herb supply. He had been busy all afternoon tending to the young woman, fussing over the scrapes and bruises and her twisted ankle. He had spooned medicine into her and coaxed it down her throat in hopes of bringing her fever down. Jae-Ha half-smiled and reached over to pull his cloak up over Yoon's shoulder. For all his reservations about fighting, the kid was tough in his own way.

Settling back against the cave wall, Jae-Ha looked down at the young woman he was keeping an eye on. She was pretty, a little taller than Yona with long black hair and delicate facial features. He found himself trying to remember what color her eyes were.

Picking up a cloth, he soaked it in the medicinal water Yoon had made earlier and wrung it out before dabbing at Seoyun's forehead and neck. They had to bring her fever down if she was going to make it. Yoon thought that if her fever would break that night, she would have a much better chance. He was probably going to be mad at himself for falling asleep, but he did need a break. Jae-Ha knew that he was a poor excuse for a nurse compared to Yoon, but he could do this much.

Seoyun stirred a little at his touch but didn't wake up. Her eyelids didn't even flutter. Jae-Ha sighed and looked out of the cave mouth at the night sky. If he asked the green dragon god to care of her, would it listen to him? Didn't it feel some kind of obligation to her?

Across the room, there was a soft little grunt and then a half-hearted cry. Jae-Ha lifted his head to look over at the wriggling bundle beside the yellow dragon. Zeno would handle it. He turned away and put the cloth back into the bowl, letting it soak.

The baby cried again. Zeno would wake up soon, he was basically in charge of taking care of the baby. It was probably hungry again. But Zeno just rolled over, turning away from the baby, and Jae-Ha groaned. Either their ancient cheerful grandpa was really deep asleep or he was trying to get Jae-Ha to take care of the baby.

Pushing up from the ground, Jae-Ha carefully stepped around Kija, moved past Hak, skirted around Yona and then crouched down beside Zeno. He stared hard at the yellow dragon and nudged him with his foot. "I hope you're not faking it, grandpa."

The only response he got was a peaceful snore.

Jae-Ha flicked his eyes to the crying baby. If he kept on like that, he was going to wake up everyone, and since Zeno didn't seem inclined to deal with it…

Carefully, Jae-Ha slipped his hands under the baby and lifted him up, standing in the same graceful movement. The instant Jae-Ha was holding him, Sho stopped crying, instead snuffling quietly.

Heading back the way he came, he sat back down next to Seoyun, settling the baby in his lap. It was the second time he had held his successor, and now he wasn't in the middle of a battle so he had more time to actually consider the situation. It was surreal, holding this particular kid. Every day, Sho was going to steal a little more of his ability, a little more of his vitality until Jae-Ha had nothing left to give. His chest tightened and he bowed his head, looking at the baby.

Violet eyes, fuzzy green hair… Like Garou, like Jae-Ha, like every other green dragon. The blanket wasn't wrapped tightly and as Sho flailed around, it fell back from his leg. Jae-Ha's fingers shook as started to touch the tiny emerald scales. He stopped for a moment, curling his fingers together to steady them before he reached to tap the baby's leg. Sho made a little sighing noise and wriggled around, kicking a bit.

"It's hard to not like you," Jae-Ha whispered, pressing his thumb against the teeny blunt claws of the baby's foot, "Even if you're going to be the end of me, you're really cute."

Something touched his arm, and he jerked a little. The touch fell away, and he glanced over to see Seoyun's eyes open and watching him.

Sea-green. In the firelight, her eyes were the same shade as the ocean, hints of blue and green mixing together and blending.

"You're awake," he said, blinking down at her, "How are you feeling?"

"How's Sho?" she asked, and he realized that the look she was giving him was wary and cautious. Like the look a mother bear might give another predator that was holding her cub. What was with that expression? Hadn't she put him in charge of watching out for the baby earlier?

"He's fine, look," Jae-Ha said, picking the baby up and bending closer so she could see him. She reached out, trembling with the effort, and touched Sho.

That seemed to satisfy her that the baby was all right, but she didn't stop looking at Jae-Ha like he was somehow a threat. "Where's Chan-U? What happened?" She started to sit up, putting weight on her hands, but Jae-Ha caught her by the shoulder.

"Don't get up, you need to rest," he said, gently pushing her back down. It was easy since she didn't have any strength to resist. Frowning, he guessed that Chan-U was the one claiming to be her husband. "We sent the others back to the village with instructions to not bother you or the baby anymore. You're safe."

She blinked, as if that was too hard to believe. He saw her clench her right hand, the one that had the destroyed marriage mark on it. "Thank you…"

Jae-Ha nodded and reached toward her, intending to check her fever. She flinched away from him, taking in a sharp breath, and he froze. "I just want to see if you still have a fever," he said softly, "I won't hurt you."

Seoyun narrowed her eyes at him as if she couldn't figure him out but finally she seemed to relax. When Jae-Ha reached toward her a second time, she didn't wince away. He was gentle as he rested his wrist on her forehead and then put the back of his hand against her neck for a moment.

"I think it's breaking," he said, "You seem a little better. Yoon's medicine is helping."

"I'll be fine by morning," Seoyun said, sounding stubborn even as her voice trailed off. She was too exhausted to stay awake for long. "If you tell me a few things I need to know, we'll just...we'll leave and you won't have to worry about us anymore."

"Is that so?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow and smirking.

"Yes," she said, "We're not…your responsibility." Her hand reached toward Sho again, and Jae-Ha grabbed her thin fingers, resting them against Sho's chest so she would calm down. The baby had nodded off again, just like Seoyun did a moment later.

Jae-Ha sighed. "Not my responsibility, hmm?" He could tell they were going to have more than one argument in the very near future.


	7. Chapter 7

"Why is it doing this? I don't understand, I don't want this."

"I guess you smell like a billy goat, White Snake."

"Take that back!"

Jae-Ha stood at the edge of the cave, watching as Kija kept dodging Poko the goat. It had been three days since they had found Seoyun and Sho and gotten the goat, and Poko's affection for Kija hadn't abated in the slightest. Poko kept finding ways of getting loose from her post, and every time she did, she followed Kija around like a lovesick dog. Jae-Ha suspected that half of the goat's escapes were made possible by an enabling Thunder Beast.

Poko's kid, a tiny bouncy creature that Yona had named Mee, preferred jumping on whoever happened to be sitting at the right height. Right now, she was attempting to balance on Shin-Ah's shoulders, sharing the space with a very confused Ao. The squirrel kept offering acorns to the goat, but the kid was way more interested in chewing on Shin-Ah's fluff. The blue dragon seemed enamored with the baby goat but he also looked mildly distressed that she had decided to gnaw on his mask fluff.

"Shin-Ah, just push her off," Yoon said, making a face, "Otherwise you can say goodbye to your wig."

Shin-Ah made a half-hearted shooing motion and tugged gently at the fluff. The kid bleated and kept chewing, putting her little front hooves on his head.

Jae-Ha heard something that sounded like a smothered laugh, and he glanced down beside him to where Seoyun was sitting, her back resting against a rock. There was a tiny smile on her face as she watched Kija and Shin-Ah deal with the goats.

Despite her declaration that she would be better overnight, she had hardly been awake for more than a few minutes at a time since they found her and Sho. She would wake up, take care of necessary business, feed Sho, and go back to sleep. The goat had come in handy during the times where she wasn't awake and Sho was hungry, and Yoon had been diligently caring for her, nursing her back to health. Out of all of them, she seemed to trust Yoon the most.

This was the first time she had been properly awake, and she had been determined to sit outside in the sunshine for a little while. Her ankle was healing, but to keep her weight off of it, Jae-Ha had carried her to the mouth of the cave before Yoon brought Shou over to her. While she had been tense in Jae-Ha's arms, she relaxed the instant she was on the ground and holding Sho. Jae-Ha was keeping an eye on her, making sure she didn't exhaust herself.

"And you're sure they're the white and blue dragons?" she asked Yoon, who was sitting nearby, cooking dinner. That small smile lingered on her face as Zeno went to help Shin-Ah rescue his fluff from the kid.

Yoon gave a long-suffering sigh and nodded. "You'd think they'd be more dignified, but yes, that's them." He waved a hand toward Zeno, who had stolen Shin-Ah's fluff and now wore it over his own yellow mane. "And that's really the Ouryuu."

"No, Zeno is the Dark Dragon now!"

"There can only be one Dark Dragon in this group," Hak said. He was on the outskirts of the clearing, halfway watching their campsite but keeping most of his attention on Yona. The princess was practicing sword swings, repeating the same motion over and over.

"Yep, only one, and Zeno is now it."

"Hey. No."

"There's no Dark Dragon at all," Kija said, "Let alone two."

"Don't be jealous, White Snake, maybe one day you too can be a Dark Dragon."

"Not what you were expecting?" Jae-Ha asked, smirking at Seoyun.

Her own little smile faded, and she looked down at Sho. "I guess not." She played with one of his hands and rocked him, keeping him calm and happy. Her sea-green eyes flicked back up and met Jae-Ha's gaze. "Did you think they'd be like this?"

Back in their village, they didn't talk about the other dragons very often. Everyone knew the legend and what the other dragons were supposed to do, but the focus had always been on the green dragon. While she had been introduced to everyone, Seoyun was probably still having a difficult time believing that all four dragons and their master were here.

Jae-Ha wasn't sure how to answer her question. He had never really intended to adhere to the path that was set out for him as a dragon, but here he was, following Yona around and joining the other dragons in their strange brotherhood. Besides vehemently wishing that they would never show up in his life, Jae-Ha hadn't given much thought to how the dragons should be. Except…

"Kija sometimes drones on about our sacred duty as dragons, which is what I was expecting," Jae-Ha said then grinned. "But he also cries when he sees a bug, loves soft pillows, and gets tipsy on one cup of alcohol, so that dispels the illusion of noble, stern dragon warriors."

Again, that small smile brightened her face. That was better. When she was smiling, he didn't focus on the purplish bruise surrounding her right eye. That black eye made him angry every time he saw it. It went against everything he stood for when it came to how men should treat women.

Yona wandered into the clearing and dropped down beside Hak, her sword in her lap and a pleased smile on her face. "I did more than yesterday."

"And you looked less like a crazy woodsman," Hak teased, holding out a water skin to her.

"One day you're going to be nice to me," Yona said, but she was smiling. She took the water skin and drank greedily from it before settling it in her lap. Something had changed between the two of them while the dragons and Yoon had been held captive in Xing, but Jae-Ha hadn't been able to drag whatever it was out of either of them. He was going to have to try harder.

"Are you tired yet?" Yoon asked, peering at Seoyun closely, "Don't exhaust yourself."

"I'm all right," she said, adjusting her hold on Sho. When Yoon narrowed his eyes at her, she didn't waver. "I'm serious."

"Tell me when you want to go back in," he said.

"I will…" She blushed as she addressed the group. "I appreciate everything that you all have done for us. Without you…" Gently, she stroked Shou's cheek and then looked back up at them. "Sho wouldn't be free and I would probably be dead. Someday I'll find a way to repay your kindness, though it'll never be enough."

"You can repay me by getting better," Yoon said grumpily, pointing a ladle at her.

"No one needs to repay anything," Zeno said, wandering over in their direction. He sat down in front of Seoyun and reached over to pat her on the head. "Especially not the Little Lady. You rescued Baby Ryoku." Ah, so now Seoyun had a nickname too. There was Little Miss, Mister, Boy, and now Little Lady.

"Ouryuu is right," Kija said, "It's our duty as dragons to protect each other, so it's only right that we would take care of you and the…Sho." He faltered at the end, looking uncomfortable.

Jae-Ha wished he would just go ahead and say it so he and Shin-Ah could start getting used to it. He could say it. The new Ryokuryuu. It was all right, Jae-Ha was adjusting to the idea. It was easier now that he had seen the baby, and it wasn't an immediate death sentence after all. No, it would take time… But he still wanted to wait before telling Yona and Yoon. They would only worry, after all, and it wasn't something any of them could stop.

"We're happy to help," Yona said with a gentle smile.

"Thank you," Seoyun said quietly, her eyes flicking down to Sho.

Jae-Ha sighed as the rest of the group went back to chatting or rounding up goats, and he sat down cross-legged next to Seoyun. "You're still planning on leaving," he said softly. There was something in her expression that gave it away, a faraway look mixed with a touch of skepticism and apprehension. She was appreciative, but that didn't mean she intended to stay with them.

There was a touch of fire in her tired eyes as she looked at him and nodded.

That certainly wasn't ideal. Jae-Ha leaned back against the rock wall, glancing over at Sho. "That leg of his is only going to get stronger."

"I know."

"And how exactly are you going to deal with it?"

"Jae-Ha," she said, and when he looked at her, he wasn't ready for the sympathy in her eyes. She knew what was going to happen to him, what the previous green dragon went through whenever a new one was born. She understood. "This isn't like our village." Meaning she didn't expect him to raise her child for her.

"I know that," he said, his tone a tad tenser than he intended, "But that doesn't mean you won't need help." He wanted to ask her why she felt the way she did, why she had bucked tradition, but now didn't seem to be the right time. He just needed her to understand that no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't raise Sho all on her own. It would be too hard when he got older. "He's a dragon—"

"He's my son before he's a dragon, and I'll manage."

Heavens, but she was stubborn. "Seoyun—"

"Kija, can I borrow you from Poko for a moment?" she suddenly said, looking away from him, "I think I'd like to go back inside."

"Of course," Kija said, the goat following after him as he hurried over to her.

Jae-Ha let his head fall back against the rock wall as Kija helped Seoyun back inside and Yoon took over watching Sho. What was he going to have to say or do before she would accept his help? Did she feel guilty about what would happen to him? Did she think he would retaliate against the baby? Or that the others would do something? She couldn't just avoid him every time he tried to talk about it.

Eventually she was going to have to listen to reason about this because she was going to need his help. It was a fact they were both going to have to accept.


	8. Chapter 8

It was a foggy morning, and dawn hadn't yet broken over the clearing in front of the cave. Seoyun moved through the mist, walking back and forth as she carried a fussy Sho, only limping a little. The baby had been awake for about an hour already and didn't seem inclined to go back to sleep. Not wanting to bother anyone once he started getting louder, Seoyun had taken him out of the cave and into the dark grey morning.

Seoyun kissed Sho's soft, fluffy green hair and gently swayed as she walked, hoping he would settle down. He wasn't hungry and she had already changed his cloth, so she supposed he was just grumpy. She wished she could ask her mother what to do or go to one of her friends. The women she had thought of as friends. They would all spurn her now, especially since she had run away from the village.

What if they sent more people after her and Sho? She was going to need to learn to protect herself and her baby. Yes, she had some skill with a knife, but it wasn't enough. There was absolutely no way that she would let them take Sho from her, and she would do anything to keep him safe. If that meant taking up a sword, she would do that. She just needed to find someone to teach her.

Shushing Sho, Seoyun turned and walked back the other way, stepping around a decent-sized stone in her path. Sho whimpered as she whispered to him, trying to comfort her tiny son.

"You're all right," she said, "Shh, shh. What's with all these tears?"

"You're going to wear yourself out."

Seoyun jolted at the sound of the familiar voice, pulling Sho closer. Jae-Ha was leaning against the mouth of the cave but he pushed away and came toward her when their eyes met. Seoyun pulled her shoulders back and kept walking, attempting to ignore the older green dragon. She was acutely aware that he was following her, so she went farther than she had before, moving through the trees as she left the security of the cave.

Although Jae-Ha was confusing, she knew that she and Sho were entirely safe when he was around.

Every day that Sho grew older, he would steal a bit of Jae-Ha's power until Jae-Ha had nothing left to give. By all rights, Jae-Ha should have resented Sho, but he hadn't shown any signs of disliking him. In fact, he didn't seem to want them to go, which made absolutely no sense to Seoyun.

"You know, I'm not used to women running away from me," Jae-Ha said.

"I wouldn't call this running," she replied, "It's more like a slow walk." Seoyun glanced over her shoulder at him. "I am slowly walking away from you."

Jae-Ha grinned. "Would you care if I caught up?"

"I guess not."

He lengthened his stride until he was beside her. For a few minutes they wandered through the woods in silence as the sun rose and burned away the mist of morning. Sho fussed and wriggled, still refusing to settle down.

"Let me take him," Jae-Ha said, holding out his hands.

Seoyun shook her head. "It's all right."

"Please?"

She stopped, looking up at the tall man beside her. He genuinely looked like he didn't mind holding Sho…

Seoyun was torn. She wanted to question him, but she had spent practically every moment since she had met Jae-Ha second-guessing him while he hadn't really given her any reason to doubt him. Actually, he had protected her and her son…

Gently bouncing her crying baby, she took a deep breath and nodded. "All right."

Jae-Ha blinked, surprised at her answer, but he carefully took Sho from her. He rested the infant against his shoulder, patting his back.

Seoyun stretched and bent down to rub at her sore ankle. It was starting to feel better, but it would be a while before it was back to the way it had been before. Yoon was amazing with herbs and medicines but some things still needed time to heal.

After a few minutes, Sho settled down and stopped snuffling and sniffling. The silence was peaceful, and Seoyun relished it.

"Are you still thinking about leaving?"

She straightened up and leaned against a tree trunk, looking up at Jae-Ha warily again. Why was he bringing this up again? It had been a few days since he had asked her about it, and she thought he was going to let it drop. It was obvious that she and Sho couldn't stay with his group. For one, they weren't exactly inconspicuous and she was already going to have a difficult time trying to hide a baby with green hair and a scaly leg. Traveling with his group would just be asking for more attention. And honestly, wouldn't it be awkward for Jae-Ha and the other dragons? Did he really want a constant reminder that he was eventually going to lose all of his powers?

"I should be able to leave in a couple more days," she said, "I'll take Sho somewhere safe, like a border town."

"You won't be able to hide there for long," Jae-Ha said, shaking his head, "And dragons need to stay within the borders of Kouka Kingdom."

"Why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Because we weaken when we're away," he said. Sighing, he stepped toward her, his violet eyes dark as he looked down at her. "I know you're afraid, but I'm not the person you need to be scared of."

Seoyun frowned. "I'm not—"

"You are too," he said, "I don't know why, but you always act like I'm going to hurt you or Sho."

Is that how he saw it? "I don't…It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

A chill raced through Seoyun's veins as she met his eyes. "Sho is basically a death sentence for you, Jae-Ha," she said, her voice quiet but firm, "I'm sorry, but it's hard to believe that you actually care what happens to him."

Jae-Ha pulled back and turned away from her, taking a few steps through the fallen leaves. When he turned around, there was small, sad smile on his face. "I can see how you'd think that." He rested a hand on Sho's back, his fingers brushing the baby's fuzzy hair. "But this is simply how the dragon legacy works. I don't like it, but I can't change it so I have to live with it."

"But that doesn't mean you have to take care of him," Seoyun said. She reached forward, hesitating before she touched Jae-Ha's arm. "It's not your job to look after him. It's mine."

"You've made that very clear," Jae-Ha said with a smirk, and Seoyun's cheeks grew warm with embarrassment. "Still, I know it might not make sense to you, but he's my legacy. I want to make sure he's safe." He half-smiled at her. "You, too."

"I appreciate it, but I don't need you to protect me," Seoyun said stubbornly, "What I need to do is learn to do that myself."

"But you can't right now," he pointed out.

"I'll be better soon."

"And who's going to teach you to fight? You're not particularly trusting…"

Seoyun lifted her chin, but she was starting to see his point. If she and Sho stayed with Jae-Ha and the others, at least there would be some protection there. But wouldn't they be upset with her and Sho about what would happen to Jae-Ha? Or maybe she was judging them too harshly. Perhaps they all held the same view as Jae-Ha, that this wasn't really anyone's fault, it was just the way of the world.

The world was so unfair sometimes.

Sho squirmed in Jae-Ha's hold, and she reached up to trace the baby's cheek, wanting to calm him.

Jae-Ha's free hand darted out and caught her hand, squeezing her fingers gently. "Seoyun, the Green Dragon Village won't give up so easily, and you know that. I want you two to stay with us, at least until we find somewhere that's actually safe."

Seoyun pulled her hand away. "I'll…I'll think about it." That was all she could promise for now.

Jae-Ha's hand lingered in the air, moving toward her face for a moment, as if he was going to brush his fingers against the bruise around her eye. She flinched, and he let his hand drop. "Maybe one day you'll trust me, hmm?"

Right now, after having been shunned by her village and chased across the countryside by her husband, she wasn't inclined to trust anyone.

But there was a chance she could learn to believe in a handful of people.


	9. Chapter 9

Three days later, the group left the cave and headed off in a north-east direction. Due to a great deal of cajoling and pleading and fighting on Jae-Ha's part, Seoyun and Sho were traveling along with them. Jae-Ha wasn't about to let Seoyun traipse across the country on her own, especially with people from the Green Dragon Village after them. He seriously doubted that they would leave them alone when there were two green dragons in the world now and one was a mere baby. So he had argued with Seoyun until she had finally given in and agreed to come with them.

Since Seoyun was still recovering from her illness and injuries, Zeno had volunteered to carry Sho for her. Actually Jae-Ha had been the first to offer to carry Sho, but Seoyun had gotten stubborn again. Zeno had stepped it and swiped the baby before another argument could start, and the yellow dragon's cheerful yet determined demeanor had won out.

To help Seoyun get around with her injured ankle, Kija had yanked a young tree out of the ground and Hak had turned it into a walking staff. She was hobbling along between Yona and Yoon, her eyes constantly flicking to Zeno and Sho. The baby was strapped to Zeno's back in a sling that Yoon had created. It was obvious that Seoyun wanted to be the one carrying him, but she just wasn't strong enough yet.

"Baby Ryoku, Baby Ryoku, oh little green foot baby." Zeno was singing, making the tune up as he went along. Sho seemed to be enjoying it as much as a newborn could, which meant he was staring around with wide dark purple eyes, taking everything in.

"He's so cute," Yona said with a smile, "I've never really been around little babies before."

"He certainly likes you, seeing how he almost never cries when you hold him," Seoyun said, "So you must be a natural."

"That's probably because all dragons like Yona," Yoon said.

Yona shot Yoon a half-frown, half-pout combination. "It could be because I'm a natural with babies…"

"Or that," Yoon said, thought his expression said he didn't really believe it.

Jae-Ha was at the back of the group, bringing up the rear and keeping pace with Hak. Kija and Shin-Ah were at the front, making a way through the forest.

"So," Hak said quietly, "When are you going to tell Yona and Yoon."

Jae-Ha glanced at Hak but didn't say anything. He knew he needed to do it soon. Honestly, he didn't feel much weaker or anything, but one day it would be noticeable, and the two of them needed to be prepared for that.

"Seoyun may do it on accident before you get the chance, unless you've told her that they don't know," Hak added, giving him a meaningful look.

"I will," Jae-Ha said, "I'll tell her tonight, and then I'll tell them when we reach the next village." That seemed like a reasonable thing to do, and that would give him a few days to think about how to break it to them. Hopefully they would just…accept it. There wasn't anything they could do, though he had a feeling that both of them would make it their quest to figure out a way to fix it. Honestly, that was impossible. The Ryokuryuu heir had been born, and that meant his time was limited. Luckily, the Green Dragon blood seemed to last quite a while. Maybe he had another five or ten years ahead of him. It seemed like that should be enough time to get his affairs in order, but the idea of leaving them all behind—

"Hey, Droopy-Eyes. Don't drift off."

Jae-Ha let Hak's voice yank him out of his spiraling thoughts. "Why, if you wanted me to keep talking, you could just ask, Hak."

The Thunder Beast just looked at him instead of engaging in verbal sparring, so Jae-Ha could tell he wanted to keep this serious. "I'm going to tell them."

"At the next village."

"Yes. Then. Not now."

Hak watched him for a long moment, and Jae-Ha stretched his arms. "I think I'm going to jump ahead and make sure the road is clear," he said, talking louder so everyone could hear him, "Does anyone want to go with?"

"I will," Yoon said, turning around, determination in his eyes.

"Zeno will go too!" the yellow dragon said, starting to head back toward Jae-Ha, but Kija whipped around and caught him by the shoulder.

"You are not going to go flying off with the baby!" Kija said.

"Baby Ryoku would like it," Zeno said, unapologetic.

"I'd rather him stay on the ground," Seoyun said, stepping toward Zeno, her green eyes wide.

Jae-Ha shifted his weight, crossing his arms over his chest. He wouldn't have taken the baby without her permission, and besides, Zeno had been kidding around. But she was still new to the group, so she probably didn't realize that.

"Ah, poor Baby Ryoku, we'll go flying later when your mother says it's all right," Zeno said, tossing Seoyun a grin.

"All right, Yoon, are you still coming?" Jae-Ha said, looking at the boy.

He headed over, and a moment later, they were soaring through the sky, over the tree tops and toward the hills in the distance. Yoon was holding on tight, but he was much more at ease jumping like this than he had been a few months ago. Actually, besides Yona, Yoon was the one that Jae-Ha carried around like this the most. Granted, the others besides Zeno were basically too big, though they still managed it from time to time.

"You've been quiet," Yoon's voice said directly into his ear, loud enough to be heard over the rushing wind.

"That's a rare accusation," Jae-Ha teased, "But I don't think I've ever that loud."

"I mean you're not as talkative as usual," Yoon said, "You've been different since we went to find Sho and Seoyun. What's wrong?"

"I think you're seeing something that's not there," Jae-Ha said gently, not wanting to get into this discussion right now.

Yoon's arms tightened a little around his chest. "Do you not like the baby?"

"That's not it," Jae-Ha said, tacking a sigh onto the end like a period. "I like him quite a bit."

"You don't hold him very much…"

"Hak, Shin-Ah, and Kija haven't held him much either," Jae-Ha retorted, "It's not just me."

"They're not a Green Dragon like he is," Yoon said.

Sometimes their Pretty Boy Genius was a little too smart for his own good. Jae-Ha glanced over his shoulder at Yoon as they soared beneath the bright blue sky. "Seoyun doesn't want me to hold him."

"Why not? She doesn't seem to mind when me or Zeno or Yona hold him," Yoon said, "And you saved both of them in the woods when we met them. Shouldn't she trust you the most?"

"It's…complicated."

Jae-Ha was looking forward again, but he could imagine the put-out expression on Yoon's face.

"Yeah, I'm not buying that. What's the real story?"

"How about I promise to tell you soon and you promise to stop asking about it, hmm?" Jae-Ha said with a tense little smile.

Yoon was quiet for a long time. "Fiiiiine."

Good, Jae-Ha could put it off a little longer. Now he just had to hope that Yona wouldn't start asking questions, too.


End file.
